


Don't Do This to Me

by dralexreid



Series: Dr Piper Bishop [26]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Light Dom/sub, Sexual Violence, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27082252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dralexreid/pseuds/dralexreid
Summary: Piper's weekend with her boyfriend, Detective Andrew Lisbon, is ruined by a case. How will he handle the reality of Piper's career? More importantly, what happens when she realises he can't cope? Who will she turn to for comfort?
Relationships: Dr Spencer Reid/Dr Piper Bishop
Series: Dr Piper Bishop [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972852
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	1. Red Flags

Piper was working in overdrive, cleaning the apartment as best she could whilst managing her phone pinned between her cheek and her shoulder and keeping an eye on the lasagne cooking in the kitchen. “So, let me get this straight,” she said, wiping down the kitchen counter, “Cruithne is a 3-mile object in a horseshoe orbit around Earth that has a period of 770 years.”

_“Yep, it was discovered in 1986, but it took a lot of observations to figure out its complicated orbit, which was determined in 1997.”_

“But, Spencer, is it technically a moon or not?” She stopped scrubbing, moving over to straighten the pile of mail.

_“Well, in the press release, one of the scientists involved with the study called the object a "moon", because it shares Earth's orbit, however, it's definitely not a moon like ours. First, a horseshoe orbit is much different from the elliptical orbit that the Moon makes around Earth. The Moon actually orbits the planet Earth, while Cruithne just shares the Earth's orbit around the Sun.”_

“So, it’s not a moon?”

_“I would think of Cruithne as more of a Near-Earth Asteroid that's trapped by Earth's gravity, not as a moon. And in fact, it's classified by astronomers as an Aten asteroid, which is a group of Near-Earth Asteroids on similar orbits.”_

“But why call it a moon? We already have a moon; wouldn’t it just be better to call the moon a type of satellite and be done with it all?”

“ _It’s true, the labels could be a little more simplified.”_

“See, this is why NASA should have a non-genius in every field. Otherwise, they just over complicate things.” She heard him laugh on the other end and bent down to check the lasagne.

_“Or they could just clone you. Hey, there’s this exhibit at the planetarium down in D.C. You wanna come?”_

“Oh, that sounds great, Spence, but I can’t. Drew got the weekend off from his boss so he’s coming up to D.C.”

 _“Oh.”_ Piper straightened. Her brain was probably overthinking as usual, but she’d expected a different tone. Maybe the kind she’d make if she was given socks on her birthday, which hadn’t happened in a long time. But before she could keep overanalysing, Spencer’s voice was cheery again. “ _You know what, there’s a medieval fair happening next week we could go to.”_ She smiled, wondering if he felt it on the other line.

“That sounds great Spence,” she said, checking her wristwatch as she turned the oven off. “It’s a date, listen, I gotta go pick up Drew, I’ll see you Monday. Bye.” She slipped the cell into her pocket before rummaging for her keys, oblivious to an increasingly flustered Spencer on the other end.

* * *

Piper tossed her keys on the counter next to the door and Drew followed her in, not bothering to take his boots off as he sank into her couch. "You hungry?" she asked from the kitchen.

"Depends. Did you cook it?" Piper faltered as she dragged the lasagne out.

"Well, yeah. Made lasagne. But we can order in if-"

"Nah, don't bother. I'll just take a shower and have a nap." He kicked his boots off and approached Piper, wrapping a hand on her belt to pull her closer, leaning in to meet her lips. But he parted just as quickly as he'd kissed her. Piper sighed as he left, pulling her sleeves up, gazing forlornly at her lasagne. She grabbed the cling film from a drawer, wrapping it up and leaving it in the fridge. She pulled out her favourite Doctor Who mug and started a pot of tea, moving over to her bookshelf. She ran a finger over the spines before pulling out her Eliot collection and settling on a kitchen counter, reading her favourite poems.

Drew slept for most of the afternoon and Piper didn't know if she should wake him. _Well, they did have the whole weekend._ Piper set down her mug and book, silently treading into her room where Drew was snoring softly, wearing nothing but sweatpants. She curled up next him, gently tracing a finger on his chest, sighing when he still didn't wake up. She got up, mounting him instead, leaning down to softly nip at his neck, licking and sucking, but not hard enough to leave a mark. She didn't know how comfortable he was with hickeys. She felt proud at his small moan, moving up to his earlobe, grazing her teeth against it and pulling lightly. His hand came around her head and released her clip, sending her medium length hair tumbling down. "Morning," he mumbled.

"Afternoon, actually." He tucked her hair behind an ear. "Hi."

"You know, there's something off about this whole...situation," Drew said, his smile widening as her breath hitched at his hands running up and down her sides before firmly gripping her waist and flipping her over. She laughed but it quickly turned into a gasp as he tugged roughly against her belt, then her jeans, practically ripping them off her body as she was left in nothing but lacy lingerie and a thick woollen top. "Is this all for me?" His voice was husky and rough as she tried to reach his hair, attempting to pull him down except he pinned her wrists up with one hand, hovering mere inches away from her lips as he moved two fingers between her thighs. She trembled against him as he stroked the flaps of her skin.

"Inside!" she gasped, feeling her body pulse with his touch.

"Beg for me baby," he growled.

"Please," she cried out and he obliged. He moved his fingers in and out slowly, never fully pulling them out.

"You like that, don't you," he teased as her breathing turned ragged, her eyes still closed. "Look at you, I've only started using my fingers and you're already shaking."

"Drew, I need..." Piper struggled to say anything coherent. He released her wrists only to rip her top off before pushing her back down, kissing her hard as her nails scraped against his back. She swiftly ripped off the rest of his clothes as his lips moved to suck at her neck. She leaned down, wrapping her hand around his groin, smiling at the ragged breaths she felt on her neck.

"That's it," he commanded, reaching a hand to unlatch her bra and tearing off her underwear as he lowered his body into her, driving it into her body. There was no steady rhythm, just wild ecstasy as he pumped into her desperately and she dug her fingers into his shoulder, her back arching at his thrusts before crying out his name as he ran his hands along her thighs until he collapsed beside her. His fingers sent a shiver up her spine as he ran his nails down her back and she kissed him, pulling gently at his lower lip, moaning slightly as he cupped her ass to pull her closer to him. She pulled away, whispering.

"So, what do you wanna do tonight?"

"You," he murmured back, leaning in again for another kiss between tangled bedsheets.

"As much as I love this," she said as he sucked on her jaw, "do you really wanna spend the entire weekend just doing this?"

"What? Screwing you? Take it as a compliment." His eyes devoured her body. "Fine, it's your city. You have any ideas?"

"What about dinner?" She closed her eyes as he started on her earlobe.

"As long as you're not cooking," he murmured against her ear.

"I know a good restaurant. Italian. Not too far either."

"Good," he said, lazily kissing down her shoulder. "Then we can come back here and I can do what I do best."

"And, uh, what's that?" she stammered, still slightly out-of-breath.

"You."

* * *

The date went as well as it could go, she noted afterwards as he paid the bill. Apart from the absolute disinterest in criminal profiling, books and any interest she might hold. As her cell buzzed, Piper told him she'd wait outside and she answered Spencer's call. "Hey, Spence. What's up?"

_"Nothing. I was just bored. I haven't heard from you since this morning."_

"Oh, sorry. Just, uh," she murmured, looking back at the restaurant. "Been busy, is all."

 _"Mhmm, Piper's been getting some lovin'."_ Derek's voice flooded through the cell. _"You enjoying your weekend angel?"_ Piper laughed.

"Two days away from you? I'm in heaven."

" _As you should be, angel. Jeez, Spencer, stop pouting, I'm talking to Piper."_ Piper rolled her eyes. " _Kay, this guy's starting to get violent so-"_

_"Am not. He's lying."_

_"so be sure to tell your dork to keep his head in the poker game. He's gonna lose all his peanuts."_

"Well then, best be careful. You know how monkeys get without their peanuts."

" _Yeah, bananas. Aight, Imma go. Have fun, Pipes!"_ Piper laughed as Spencer returned to the phone. " _Sorry 'bout him."_ Piper felt two arms wrap around her waist. _"So I never caught your answer about that medieval fair."_ Piper lost focus as he felt warm lips wrap onto her neck.

"Sorry, um," she rambled, her eyes closed. "No, the uh, the fair right? Totally, I'm-" she couldn't hold back a giggle as Drew swayed "-I'm in. Next week, medieval fair, you and me. Listen, Spence," she gasped softly as Drew's hand rode up her thigh, "I have to um, get back home so I'll see you Monday. Bye," she hung up before twisting around to meet Drew for a kiss.

"Who was that?"

"Hmm? Oh, just some co-workers. They were playing poker." She tried going in for another kiss but Drew pulled back.

"Oh, am I ruining your weekend?" Drew slurred.

"Drew, you've had a lot of wine. Why don't we get you-"

"No." He swayed as he held a finger up. "You wanna go out with your friends, then fine. Be free. Don't worry about me."

"Drew, it's not like that. I like you, I want to be with you, here and now." She looked deep into his unfocused eyes.

"Is that so?" He held her wrist tightly, pulling her into an alley, his eyes darkening as his fingertips touched the hem of her dress. "Then prove it," he hissed. Piper stared evenly into his eyes as he shoved her against a wall, darkness shrouding them in the deep alley that he had pulled her into. She rubbed his chest, driving her finger up and into his shoulder as he ran his fingertips along her side. "You're gonna be nice and quiet, you hear me?" He grabbed her waist, turning her over so the side of her cheek felt cold brick walls. He pushed her hair from around her neck and he tantalisingly unzipped the back of her dress, pressing kisses between her shoulder blades and she arched her back, biting down a moan until he abruptly zipped it back up.

"What are-"

"Someone was watching," he hissed and Piper glanced back at the elderly man in the shadows, wearing nothing but tatters.

"Drew," she whispered, pulling her wrist away. "Drew," she gasped at his vice-like grip on her. "Jesus." Piper rubbed at her wrist before heading back down to the homeless man, pulling out a breadstick. "I'm sorry, I don't have change." The man just nodded meagrely, flashing a slightly unsettling toothy grin, so Piper uncomfortably smiled back and left to join Drew.

* * *

There were a bunch of things Drew loved about Piper. How her skin felt under his fingers. How her moans awakened something deep inside him. How he felt like an animal when he tore her clothes off, and when he was around her, he couldn't stop. Desire coursed through his veins as he desperately kissed her. She raked her fingernails across his back, sliding them down to the small of his back before practically tearing his shirt off of him. She was well aware of the mess they were leaving behind, but she didn't care, not when he was touching her, pushing her against the wall, kissing down her neck, to sucking on each breast, to the feel of his tongue down her abdomen and definitely not when she felt his warm tongue reaching between her thighs, his fingernails scraping her underwear down. In college, her friends had told her certain rules. Never let a guy to second base until the third date and never have sex before a first date. They'd already broken two. He moved back up, undoing his belt and jeans before she wrapped her thighs around his waist.

He was angling himself just right when her cell rang. "Drew," she rasped. She reached around the wall to the counter to her cell, raising it to her ear as he nuzzled her neck, running his nails down her thigh. "Hello," she mumbled softly, brain still fuzzy, but Hotch's voice woke her up fast. "Hotch," she practically yelped, patting Drew's shoulder urgently to let her down. She pinned the phone between her shoulder and cheek while trying to gather all her clothes, slipping on her underwear from the floor. "Uh-huh. Do I have time for a shower?" She walked past Drew's furious look, not noticing as she tried to wrestle details from her boss. "Okay, and I'll meet on the jet? Yeah, that sounds good. Yeah, see you there boss." She tossed the cell on her bed and her clothes from the date, pulling out comfortable travel clothes and enough outfits for 4 days. It was never wise to wear multiple outfits twice, according to Penelope, and despite Garcia hardly going on the jet with them, she'd listened. She'd also listened to JJ when the latter told her to 'always have a party dress on hand' so that would go in too. She scooped her hair into a messy bun and managed to have a shower and change in 10 minutes. Not for nothing, this job had made her efficient. She grabbed a toothbrush, paste and an unwrapped bar of soap (after a particularly dodgy hotel in Alabama). Everything else was already packed away and as she stowed clothes, she tried her hardest not to yell at Drew. He did not make the same effort.

"I don't get it, you can't take two days off. On the weekend?"

"It's a serial rapist. I can't not go."

"Yes, you can. Call Hotch, tell him, I dunno, some excuse." She laughed derisively despite herself.

"He's not a police chief that you can get away with. He's a profiler."

"Really? That's the hill you want to die on?"

"I don't get it," she said exasperatedly. "You would do the same thing if we were in Florida."

"Yeah, 'cept you never come to Florida."

"Because I don't like Florida. If you had gone through with the transfer to, I don't know, Maine or Miami or something, maybe the idea of flying down would be more appealing." Drew threw his hands up.

"So, I'm not enough, is it? I came to DC for you."

"Yeah, well, if I lived in Florida, I'd absolutely come up to DC. And then never go back," she scoffed.

"You invited me here!" He was shouting at her, ignoring the insistent knock on the door.

"Because we never see each other! Don't you find that frustrating? You have a girlfriend that lives on the other side of the States. You only ever call me once a day, if I'm lucky."

"Well, what do you expect me to do, just sit around? I have a flight back on Monday." Piper zipped her bag shut, shouldering it as she moved to open the door.

"I don't know, maybe eat the lasagne I spent hours making, for you by the way." She swung her door open, plastering a grin on her face at Anderson. "Hi, come in." Drew huffed before storming into the room

"Hey, is uh, is everything okay?"

"Fine. Um, do you want anything before we leave, cause it's like a 30-minute ride to the airport?"

"Actually, do you mind if I, uh, use the..."

"Oh, not at all. Down the hall, first door on your right."

"Thanks." Anderson practically sprinted, that too with grace to the bathroom while Piper pulled on her socks, then sneakers, almost forgetting to pack her boots and heels. She gazed at the closed bedroom door forlornly before following Anderson down to the SUV.


	2. Signs and Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they leave for a case in Palm Springs, Spencer notices something wrong with Piper but no-one quite believes him. But in his quest for revelations, will he end up pushing Piper too far?

Spencer wasn't quite sure how he knew. Just that he felt a nerve ending go off every time he looked over at her, telling him she was hurting. Maybe it was the pale woollen top she only wore for comfort, he pointed out to JJ. Maybe it was how she cut herself short from rambling about Celtic mythology to Emily, who never really stopped her when she went on tangents. Or maybe, he said to Derek, it was how she was stuck on the same page of a particularly worn copy of Maya Angelou's collection. Or maybe, Derek suggested sarcastically, Spencer just wanted to play the hero. The case was a rather simple profile. They knew the guy was a textbook sexual sadist who held little regard for women, especially those that he deemed had transgressed the Bible. His victimology was just as simple. He'd started with an adultress who clearly had a personal link to the unsub, then it was a lesbian woman in a bar, escalating to a transgender man in broad daylight. 

His first absolute sign was when Piper scolded a beat cop who mislabeled evidence, railing on him until Hotch pulled her away and smoothed things over. He watched her take Hotch's bitter lecture about FBI-Police relations and respect and other things he wasn't meant to be paying attention to. She'd dived back into her work indifferently, intent on catching this guy. 

His second sign was how she pulled away from the group at lunch, barely touching the takeout in her hands as she played with her cell. Sighing, she'd put down the takeout box and stepped outside 'for air' but he knew his suspicions were right when he heard her pleading with Drew over the phone. "I can't move, Drew... I get it. You don't think it's hard for me? You're meant to be my... God, Andrew, just listen..." He watched as she rubbed her face. "No, that's not what I meant. I just...Do you think I like this? Fighting with you constantly?" Her voice thickened and she stared at the sky, trying to blink away her tears. "You're not nothing, Drew. But I don't want..." He could barely hear her voice anymore, it was just down to a whisper. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "You're right, I'm being stupid. Sorry. Li-Listen, um, give me some time, I'll figure something out. Yeah. Lo-" Andrew hung up before she could get the words out, but Spencer and Piper both knew what she would've said if he'd stayed on for even a second longer.

But the final sign for Spencer was how she withdrew from everyone, playing up the excuse of a bad cold and excusing herself to her room when Derek convinced everyone to go out for a drink. Spencer couldn't focus on Derek clapping him on the shoulder until he dragged him outside to take him to a bar. He managed to extract himself from Morgan, telling him the truth, that he wanted to check up on Piper. Even Derek watched Spencer smush his hands into his pockets before getting into his own SUV, tailing Piper to the hotel. All Spencer could think about were the signs, how each suspicion had been right, but he'd never felt this miserable, rapping on her hotel door, about to see his cards unfold. Her door was unlocked and he opened it, finding her sitting in the balcony, eyes still welling as she motioned for him to take a seat next to her. "You didn't go to the bar?"

"No. You know that's not my thing."

"Really? It's not because my profile says I'd be up here crying because I don't want to move to Florida?"

"I mean, that's not really much to cry about," he admitted. "No-one likes Florida. Is this...Is this about Drew?"

"Yeah," she chuckled wetly. "That obvious huh?"

"No, I, uh, I heard your argument. If it helps," he said softly, "I don't want you to move." Piper laughed.

"I don't want to either. But Drew's just..."

"Really convincing apparently," he scoffed under his breath but she still caught it.

"No, but he's right. This was exactly why I didn't-" She took a deep breath, staring out at the palm trees dancing in the dark. "It's unfair to both of us."

"JJ and Will manage," he said simply.

"Will moved from New Orleans to DC for her. She has a kid. I can't compare it. And Drew couldn't be more different to Will."

"Because he's not willing to move and find a job in DC?" Piper straightened, sensing judgement.

"It's a two-way street, Spencer," she said coldly. "I don't want to move to Florida and I can't blame him for not wanting to move to DC."

"Piper, you're stuck in a stalemate," he said, his voice rising in an effort to make her understand. "The game's over."

"Relationships aren't games of chess, Reid," she cried, tears streaming as she shook in anger. "You have to work at them."

"For how long? How long are you going to destroy yourself for him?"

"I'm not fragile," she yelled, "I'm trying to save whatever I have left of him."

"But you don't deserve him!" he yelled finally, lifting the one truth he felt the moment he'd met Lisbon. Piper stopped, breathing hard as she struggled to gain control.

"He's exactly what I deserve," she said quietly but calmly. "And I'd like you to leave, please, Dr Reid."

"Piper, listen to me, please." She turned away, staring out into the distance. "He doesn't care about you. Not the way you deserve. You're one of the best profilers I've met, Piper, you know this. In your gut, he doesn't love you, not the way-"

"Your concerns have been noted, Dr Reid, and perhaps I'll reconvene with-" Spencer rolled his eyes, exasperated, grabbing her arm and twisting her to face him.

"Don't pull that. Not with me. Can you look me in the eye and say he feels about you the same way you do about him?" Piper stammered, racking her brain for an escape. But he had paralysed her.

"N- I don't know, Spence, but how can I-"

"It's unfair to you, Piper. You deserve better."

"You keep saying that," she said, her voice becoming frail, "but I don't see anyone else who cares about me like he does." There were a million things Spencer wanted to say. But this wasn't the time or the place. "Spence, I know you think I'm being naive, but I care about him and I have to trust that he does too." She blinked at him, overcome with fatigue. "Goodnight," she said pointedly and Spencer left, closing the door on a woman he tried to save.


	3. Broken Promises and Spent Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper comes back from an exhausting case and deals with a fraying relationship. Will Piper realise Spencer's words were true?

Piper almost fumbled her keys before letting herself into the apartment, enveloped in the warm smell of her lasagna and faint sounds of football which quickly shut down as she closed the door. "I didn't know you were coming home early," he said and she looked over at him on the couch, an empty plate on the table. 

"Is that- it doesn't matter. I think we should talk."

“No, it’s fine. Just do whatever you want, I guess.” She moved over to sit next to him, his face stone-cold.

"What do you think that is? Drew, I want you." He finally cracked a smile.

"Good, because I was just about to book another ticket to Florida for you," he said, starting to lean in when Piper pushed him away.

"Andrew, I never said I'd move to Florida." He clenched his jaw.

“If you really cared about me, you’d do what I’m asking.” Piper moved a hand to hold his face.

"Of course I care about you, Drew. But this is my career."

"I'm not asking you to sacrifice your life. You can find another job in Florida."

"And you'd find a much better paying job in DC. Why does either of us have to uproot our lives?" He snorted, swatting her hand away.

"I worked hard to become a detective." His voice rose as he stood up. "Before I met you. You went from a state psychiatrist to a therapist to a teacher. You ruined that, not me."

"I never blamed you-" Her voice had risen again.

"And the only reason you're in the FBI is that you got lucky. Don't kid yourself Pipes!" He said, stepping forward.

"And what about the things I see?" She kept her gaze hard as she moved. "Don't they matter? How I have to look at crime scene photos of-"

"What, so my job means nothing to you either?"

"No, I'm just- I'm tired of fighting, Drew," she cried.

"So you think I like fighting you?"

"Well, what do you want from me?" she yelled at him, tears springing to her eyes. "The only thing we've done is fight since you got here."

She stood there, breathing hard from all the yelling, realising they were only inches apart when Drew swore before lunging. He pulled at her hair, kissing her desperately and she moaned as his other hand cupped her ass. She clawed his shirt up and over his head and she wrapped her thighs around his waist as he grazed his teeth along her jaw, moving to pull at her earlobe with his teeth before whispering, "You're mine. And I'm gonna make sure the world knows it." He sucked at her neck violently, pushing her against the nearest wall as she moaned softly, unhooking her legs from his waist. Her breath became ragged as he brushed his lips to her collarbone as his hand hiked up her shirt. He unbuttoned her shirt tantalisingly slow, pulling it down as he sucked at her shoulder, making her moan his name. "That's right." He slid down, trailing kisses down her breasts, to her stomach while his hands swiftly rid her of her belt and jeans. She felt his tongue roughly sliding between her thighs as he clawed her underwear down, making her cry out in pleasure. 

"Please," she whined, grabbing at his hair and their lips met again as she fumbled with his belt, managing to pull it out with one tug. Drew lifted her thighs around his waist after having disposed of his jeans and she sank into him. He started slow, waiting for her to beg. “Harder.”

"Beg for me."

"Please," she managed. "I want... Harder..." He lowered his body further and slipped into her roughly, making her breaths ragged with each thrust. Piper arched back against him and he grabbed her hips hard. He entered her again, penetrating deep, and he almost felt her shake in his arms, pumping until she threw her head back and practically screamed in ecstasy. He lowered her gently, both of them breathing hard, their fight forgotten and their foreheads touching as his hand cupped her jaw, caressing her cheek softly.

"You see what you do to me?" He kissed her, one last time, biting her bottom lip roughly, so hard, Piper thought it was bleeding. "I have to pack." And then he disappeared inside, leaving her to collect her clothes. The fight had become mushy, she noted as she pulled out her comfort clothes, a pair of sweatpants, a deep maroon camisole, a long cardigan. Piper leaned her head against the wall, waiting for the tea to bubble, a tear sliding down her cheek.

" _You don't deserve him," Spencer yelled finally..._

_"I don't want you to move," he said softly..._

_"Piper, you're stuck in a stalemate," he said, his voice rising in an effort to make her understand. "The game's over."_

"The game's over," she whispered to herself as she sent a text to Spencer.

* * *

Spencer tapped a finger on unbroken spines covering the secrets of astrophysics until he caught the deep blue spine, entrancing his eyes with painted gold vines. _The Works of Samuel Beckett_. He pulled it out before proceeding to pay for it. His cell buzzed as he stepped out into the cool air as he read a text that sent a shiver down his back before crossing the street and sprinting down a familiar path. He murmured a quick hello to Mrs Hanson before rushing past her, rummaging for his key and pushing the door open. His eyes darted around the apartment to find Piper perched on a kitchen counter, pressing ice to her cheekbones, her Tardis mug sitting in smithereens on the floor. "Careful," she cried out as Spencer almost stepped on a shard. He sidestepped it, reaching for a mop on the other side of the kitchen and moving the shards to the side. "Pity." She sighed, gazing forlornly at her shattered mug. "Didn't even get to drink it." She closed her eyes, pulling her hand away from her cheek to reveal a swollen cheek, not to mention the split lip. She caught Spencer's sombre look at it. "I get it. Can't even cover this up with makeup."

"What did he do to you?" He grazed his thumb softly on her cheek and she instinctively backed away before laughing it off.

"Told him that the game's over. He threw a punch. I kneed him in the groin and I may have broken his nose." She grinned at him, her first smile in two days, but that too faltered as she slid down from the counter. "You were right," she sighed.

"I wish I wasn't," he offered.

"No, you don't," she said honestly. "And I'm glad you did. Spence, if you hadn't..." Piper cleared her throat and shook her head. "Thank you. For warning me." Piper looked around, wincing at the mess. "You wanna stay for a cup of tea?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd, maybe, teach me how to make a cup?" Piper laughed but bit it back and Spencer froze, rubbing his neck.

"No, I mean, I'd love to. It's just...I thought you had a recipe?"

"It didn't turn out right." Piper nodded sagely, taking him by the wrist and into the kitchen, teaching him the ratio of sugar to tea powder and honing his instincts with tea and grinning proudly when he made a good cup. They sat in her living room, talking about recent reads as he listened to her ramble about Celtic mythology and she listened to his research into asteroid orbits, the thought of Drew and her shattered mug long gone.


End file.
